


Colds and Christmas Holos

by aMantaRay



Series: Mitth'rey'nuru (Grey) Works [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Chiss Politics, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Force Sensitivity, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Character, chiss politics suck, force sensitivity suppression on a five year old, human cold, more actually just christmas mention..., thrass is babysitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:27:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26843629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aMantaRay/pseuds/aMantaRay
Summary: Eli is stuck at home with a 'human cold'. Thrawn takes their son, Grey, to the Mitth Estate in hopes that Thrass'll babysit, so he can return home to care for his husband.
Relationships: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Eli Vanto
Series: Mitth'rey'nuru (Grey) Works [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959619
Comments: 17
Kudos: 23





	Colds and Christmas Holos

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was reading through the wookieepedia article on Chiss and found the part on force-sensitivity. Basically, it talked about how Chiss who were born force-sensitive were executed, exiled, or had their power medically suppressed, depending on social standing because of Chiss culture. I thought that was an interesting take, especially with them using the navigators...
> 
> Anyways, that's partially where the inspiration came from.
> 
> As always, enjoy.
> 
> P.S. I originally posted this in my Christmas works section but decided it didn't fit well enough so I started a new section, Mitth'rey'nuru (Grey) Works, for stories that deeply involve Grey.

“Daddy!” Grey tugged, trying to pull away from his Papa’s hand, reaching out for his father. “Daddy, no. I wanna stay with you and Papa!”

Eli smiled weakly from his spot on the bed, reaching to take his tiny hand in his own. The effort was exhausting, his grip was weak. “I’m sorry, Grey. I love you very much,” he whispered, pressing a small kiss to his fingers, the boy’s hand slipping from his grasp as Thrawn gently pulled him up into his arms. The white band around their son’s wrist hadn’t gone unnoticed to the commander. He sighed. “Daddy’s jus’ a little tired right now. You be good for _G’en’vti_ Thrass, okay? Promise me?” He scrunched his nose and was quick to bring the sheets up, covering his mouth as a coughing fit wracked his frame.

He whimpered. Ow… “H-he’s gonna look after you for a little while.”

“I...I promise,” Grey watched his father helplessly before turning to hide his face away in his Papa’s shoulder. He could help. He knew he could. It wasn’t fair. 

Thrawn knelt beside the bed, settling his forehead against Eli’s, letting out a slow sigh. “I will be back as quickly as I can be,” he murmured, the hand not wrapped around their son coming up to tangle in his damp locks. “I love you, _Ch’eo_.”

Eli made a small noise, eyes sliding shut. “Love you too,” he mumbled, liking the feeling of Thrawn’s cool lips against his forehead as he was given a gentle kiss. It was over too soon for his liking, and he dragged his eyes open to watch his small family slip quietly from his bedroom and into the hall.

“Papa?” The five year old asked shyly, barely peeking out of his shoulder, arms only tightening around his wampa stuffed animal. “Is Daddy gonna be okay?”

Thrawn glanced down at the boy, pausing to lift the duffle bag by the door over his shoulder. “Yes, _Ch'ithsin'bo In'a_. He just has a human cold.” He pulled the front door open, locking it behind them. “Daddy will be fine.”

The toddler considered this for a moment, fingers tugging on the band around his wrist. “...But I have human too? Right?” His brow furrowed as he tried to remember exactly what his parents had told him. 

“You are half human,” Thrawn chuckled, settling Grey down in his seat in his speeder. “The other half of you is Chiss. Our species. That is because your daddy is a human, and I am a Chiss.” He made sure the boy was buckled in properly, settling the bag down on the seat beside him. 

The information didn’t seem to completely register with Grey. Thrawn leaned his arms against the side of the speeder, finding Grey’s crimson gaze with his own. “You noticed how Daddy is tan skinned instead of blue like you and I? He has brown eyes instead of red?”

Grey gave a tiny nod. 

“He is human. That is what a human can look like.” He tilted his head. “Chiss, like me and your _G’en’vti_ , are blue skinned. We have red eyes. That is the main difference in our species. Because your daddy is human, he seems to get sick a little more easily. His immune system is not as strong as a Chiss immune system. That is what fights off our sicknesses.” He reached out, fixing a piece of dark brown hair out of the boy’s eyes. “I cannot contract...catch…” he simplified, “your daddy’s cold, just because my body is different from his. However, you and your daddy are very similar in that aspect. We are bringing you to your _G’en’vti_ so that you stay healthy while your daddy heals.”

He chewed on his lip for a while, debating on whether or not the information made sense. It sort of did...but it didn’t make him feel much better. “ _G’en’vti_ will be happy to see me?”

Thrawn offered the best smile he could. “Yes, _Ch'ithsin'bo In'a_.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead before turning and climbing into the speeder, starting toward his brother’s estate. The rather large and rather grand Mitth estate, that is. 

He sighed softly, glancing into the rearview mirror to once again see Grey tugging on his bracelet. At three years old, the boy had started to show signs of force-sensitivity; crayons floating in the air, juice cups moving right before they were knocked from the table, bumps and scrapes on the boy _and_ he and Eli had been healed. Even basic illnesses — like a human cold — had been healable by the boy. Eli had had honest curiosity about the whole thing. Thrawn had been _fucking scared_. 

Chiss culture didn’t exactly allow for force-sensitives to be, well, force-sensitive. If Grey were a nobody from a commoner’s family, he’d have been exiled immediately. At least, being from one of the ruling families allowed him to have the Mitth name as protection. His powers were simply suppressed. That was the purpose of the band around his wrist. 

If he’d been born female, Grey would have been taken to be trained as an _ozyly-esehembo_ , a navigator for the CDF. Because he wasn’t female...he was considered an anomaly. 

The band was beautifully crafted, the material was white gold, set with burgundy stones, engraved with his full name to remind those of his status. The boy, born as Mitth’rey’nuru, core name Threyn, and nicknamed Grey, was safe for the time being. It had been crafted to fit the boy comfortably but snuggly. He couldn’t pull it off on his own. As he grew older and larger, links could be added to the bracelet so it could grow with him. 

And now, it seemed, as Grey grew older, he was also becoming stronger, as the band seemed to bother him more than it had before. It worried him. 

Thrawn pulled up to park on the curb. At least the band had a masculine look to it. He shook the thoughts from his mind, standing and leaning against the speeder again. He carefully took a hold of his hand, extending his arm to see the band better. “Is it bothering you?”

Grey curled his small fingers, watching as his papa tucked his finger beneath the bracelet, brushing over the skin underneath. “Sometimes. I don’ like it, Papa. I want it off.”

“I know,” he murmured, twisting the band to find the engraving of his name, brushing his thumb over _Mitth_. “Someday things will be different. You will not need this. I promise. In the meantime, we will have it examined to see why it is bothering you.” 

He left his wampa stuffed animal tucked into the crook of his arm, rubbing at his eyes with his free hand. “Okay, Papa,” he whispered.

Thrawn let go of his hand, carefully helping Grey down. He took his hand in his own again. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” he answered, shying a little closer to his papa’s side. 

The Chiss brushed his fingers through his hair to reassure him before slinging the bag over his shoulder and starting up the large steps. “Brother,” Thrawn greeted, tilting his head as he saw the Syndic in the main room of the estate. The fireplace was burning, helping to warm the large room. 

“Thrawn.” Thrass grinned, standing from his seat, settling the book on the coffee table in front of him. “Threyn, look at you. You’re bigger than the last time I saw you.”

“...Grey…” The small boy corrected quietly, hiding behind his papa’s legs. 

Thrass’ smile tightened, but he nodded regardless. “Yes, apologies, Grey.” He looked over toward his younger brother again. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see you, Little Brother, but why are you here?”

Thrawn hesitated before kneeling in front of Grey, pressing a firm kiss to his forehead. “Go play, _Ch'ithsin'bo In'a_. Papa needs to talk to your _G’en’vti_ for a little while.” He watched the boy hesitate before giving a tiny nod and starting for the glass door leading into the backyard. He wanted to play with his wampa in the snow. “Do not wander too far, Grey,” he called firmly in basic after him, earning another nod.

The Chiss stood, turning back to his big brother to speak to him in Cheunh. “I need you to watch Grey for a few days. Just--” he ignored his brother’s interruption, continuing anyways, “--just until Eli is feeling better. He has a human cold.”

“Babysit?” Thrass demanded. “You want me to _babysit_?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Thrawn frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why not? You’re on vacation right now. Christmas is next week. It’s not like you’re busy, Brother.”

He huffed. “I cannot take care of a child.” He mirrored his brother, arms crossing over his chest. While still looking quite similar, Thrass was graceful and poised as any politician, while Thrawn was fierce and confident, just as a warrior was. “Taking care of you as a child was enough for me for ten lifetimes over.”

“Dramatic, are we?” The younger Mitth brother answered a bit dryly. He hadn’t been _that_ difficult of a child. 

“ _No_.” Thrass looked away, clenching his jaw as he found the boy seated on the ground, building a chair out of snow for his stuffed animal. 

Thrawn followed his gaze, eyes softening. “He really is a good kid, Big Brother. Many are too blind to see it. They can’t see past his human side or...or his force-sensitive side.” He seemed to visibly sag, taking a seat in one of the armchairs closer to the fireplace. 

When Thrass stayed quiet he looked up at him again. “Thrass...please, I am asking you to do this for me. As my brother. Look after him. Like I said, it’s just until Eli is feeling better. I cannot catch his cold but Grey can.”

Thrass sank to sit across from him, reaching for his cup of tea. “Why do you call him Grey? His name is Mitth’rey’nuru, is it not? Threyn?” He took a sip before settling it back on the coaster on the table. 

“It is.” He brushed a stray piece of hair out of his eyes. Eli liked his hair a bit longer...a bit less tame. Thrawn couldn’t complain. He liked it as well, and it took less effort to style. “Grey is just a nickname. A bit of a humor, if you will, between Eli and I. Rey is his personal name, as you know, but being half human, half Chiss _and_ force-sensitive...well, he is a bit of a gray area. Hence where Grey came from. Regardless, Eli likes it because it’s more human, and his parents agree. I do not mind either way, and Grey likes it as you saw.”

“You will run into trouble,” he warned softly, reaching out to settle his fingers over his brother’s hand. “Brother, you and Eli already have rather large targets on your backs. Especially now with Threyn. He’s a hybrid, first of all, and now calling him by a nickname rather than his core name? Having him grow up knowing something other than his core name? Problems will present themselves.”

Thrawn frowned. “Grey is not a problem.” He stood suddenly, sharp posture returning. “I apologize for the intrusion. I will take my son and leave.”

“Thrawn. Thrawn, wait.” He was quick to stand and reached out to grab him by the arm. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know your son isn’t a problem.” Well, politically he was, but that wasn’t the point. He sighed, meeting his brother’s gaze. “I will look after him.”

His eyes narrowed. “You will?”

Thrass nodded. “I will. You don’t have to worry.” 

Thrawn hesitated before nodding. “Thank you.”

“You owe me,” Thrass teased, pulling him into a gentle hug, pleased when Thrawn reluctantly wrapped his arms around him in return. “I love you,” he murmured. 

“I love you too.”

* * *

Thrawn was quick to fill a glass of water and find his way back into the dark bedroom, smiling slightly to find Eli’s infrared outline still in bed, chest rising and falling slowly as he slept.

He took a moment, setting the glass on the nightstand before removing his shirt and replacing his pants with a pair of softer sweats. He sat down on the edge of the bed, brushing his husband’s hair back slowly. 

“...Thrawn?” Eli kept his eyes closed, curling a little smaller under the covers. 

“Yes, _Ch’eo_ ,” he smiled weakly, settling his hand over his cheek, knowing the cool touch of his skin would be a little relieving to the human. His heat signature was too warm. “How are you feeling?”

He sniffled, a small cough escaping from the effort. “Not great. Tired. Head hurts.”

“I see,” he murmured, rubbing his thumb over his heated skin. “I brought you some water. I need you to sit up, okay?”

“No…” Eli whined quietly, placing a shaky hand over the top of Thrawn’s, not wanting his cool touch to disappear from his cheek. 

Thrawn turned his hand, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze. “Listen to me, _Ch’eo_ ,” he murmured, moving to sit directly beside him, ready to help support his frame. “Water will help. Keeping fluids in your system is the number one self-care suggestion for getting rid of a human cold.”

He couldn’t help but feel a little touched. Thrawn had done research on how to make him feel better. He’d just planned on sleeping it off. With a soft groan and a tremendous amount of help from his husband, Eli managed his way into a sitting position, head pounding. 

“You look terrible.” Thrawn couldn’t help his quiet chuckle as he settled the glass of water in both of Eli’s hands, making sure he had a hold on it before letting go. 

“Not helping,” he sighed, sipping slowly at the cold drink, resting his head tiredly against Thrawn’s shoulder. “Thrass is watching Grey?” His hands lowered to settle on his covered thighs, the effort of holding the glass up draining much of his strength. 

The Chiss nodded. “He will be well looked after. Do not worry.” He would speak to him about Thrass’ concerns and his own regarding his force-sensitive abilities, but now wasn’t the time. “My dear brother tried to turn me down due to him raising me as a child.” He rolled his eyes. “Overdramatic bastard.”

Eli let out a small laugh, followed by a round of coughs, using the crook of his elbow as best he could. “I’m sure you were a handful. I feel bad for poor Thrass.” He smirked up at the man, amusement shining through the exhaustion in his dark eyes. 

There was almost a pout on his lips. Almost. “Are you hungry?”

“Not really.” He settled against him again, eyes sliding shut, a tiny smile still on his lips. “You feel cool. Can’t leave me.”

“I will return soon. I can make you soup.” He removed the glass from his relaxing grip, settling it on the nightstand so it wouldn’t spill. “You want to lay back down?” He settled the back of his hand against the human’s forehead, bringing his knuckles down his cheek, only to settle a kiss against the top of his head. 

Eli sighed softly, momentary relief flooding through him. “I ‘ave an idea…”

Thrawn rose an eyebrow at that. “Hm? What is it?”

“We could go to the couch.” He used the heel of his hand to rub at his eyes, finding Thrawn’s crimson gaze after a moment. “Can watch Christmas holos. The cheesy romance ones.”

The Chiss’ brow furrowed. “You require rest if you are to recover. Here in bed is the best way to do that.”

Eli pouted, reaching for his tissue box, blowing his nose before coughing into the square. “I…” he cleared his throat, “I will be resting. I already napped while you took Grey. Please? Sometimes relocating helps.”

Thrawn visibly struggled for a moment, sighing before he gave in. “I will carry you. I will start a fire in the fireplace and you are not to move from the couch without my help. Understood?”

“Understood,” Eli grinned, making a small noise as he was lifted in a single, easy motion and cradled to Thrawn’s chest. “Lemme take a blanket,” Eli mumbled, twisting to pull the comforter from the bed, holding onto it as Thrawn started down the hall. 

“That is not a blanket. That is the entire comforter,” he commented, working to keep from tripping on the material. 

Eli hummed, burying his nose in the warm fabric, curling on his side on the couch once he was settled down. “This is the warmest blanket we have. The house is always freezing.”

“We live on an ice planet.”

“Our _house_ shouldn’t be freezing,” he countered. “No wonder I get sick every winter,” he grumbled, bundling himself further in the comforter, eyes growing heavy as he began to grow sleepy again.

Thrawn raised an eyebrow at the comment. “No, that would be because you insist on heading outside in the snow without wearing a thick enough jacket every winter.” He planted a kiss on his temple, chuckling at the quiet noise he received in response instead of another arguing point, heading to kneel in front of the fireplace to get a fire started. 

Once he had a warm fire going, Thrawn stood, looking Eli over with soft eyes. The man had already drifted to sleep, as he figured he would. Sleep and rest were on the list of human self-care to recover from colds. 

He took a few moments to wash his hands and dim the lights in the room, the glow from the fire being the only source of light, other than the decorated Christmas tree, of course. 

It gave the living room a cozy feeling, the tree lit with colorful lights. Eli and Grey both claimed they were more festive than white lights. Thrawn stepped up to the glass door, watching the snow begin to fall before he pressed a button to have the windows darkened. 

Satisfied, Thrawn took his datapad from the counter and started for the couch, debating before deciding on laying behind the man. He stretched out and drew him close to his chest. Thrawn kept an arm around him, settling down to read. Eli needed the rest, and he wasn’t particularly interested in those romantic Christmas holos anyways… 

**Author's Note:**

> Cheunh:  
> G’en’vti - Uncle  
> Ch’eo - Mine  
> Ch'ithsin'bo In'a - Little One  
> Ozyly-esehembo - Sky-walker


End file.
